Whitney Gains a Few New Ideas

"No way! For real?"

"Yes, we did that for real," Bridget assured the stunned teen in the passenger seat.

She added a small laugh as the disbelieving Whitney swung around to look at Lacey in the back seat. The petite redhead appeared as shocked as her friend.

"Did you know about this?" the blonde cheer captain challenged.

"No. I swear, I never heard anything," Lacey denied after Whitney's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How would I know? My mom was off at college."

Bridget had just finished telling a tale about one reason her senior year of high school was the most decorated in school history for the various sports teams. She revealed how she'd created a plan to snap the basketball team out of its early-season losing streak. Figuring that teenage boys craved sex more than anything, Bridget came up with a series of rewards that the cheer squad would administer to the star player in each victory.

The plan hadn't been very salacious at the start. Most rewards were flashes of naked breasts or asses, stripteases, and handjobs. Yet those types of activities tend to snowball as hormones go out of control, especially when a particular kind of sugar is added to the mix.

"And the Sugarbees got involved, too?" Whitney questioned in disbelief, turning her attention back to Bridget.

"Yep, one of the guys blabbed. We could never prove who, but I have my suspicions," the older blonde remarked. Bridget heard a snort from the backseat. Knowing it was a judgmental Ramsey, she explained further. "You girls have to understand, the rivalry between the squads that year was one of the bitterest ever. And I'll admit, I was a large reason for it."

"What did you do?" Whitney inquired, knowing that her new hero must have done something spectacular.

"Only stole the boy that Gemma Harlow, the Sugarbees' captain, also wanted," the now respected doctor revealed with a smirk.

"Woo-hoo! You go, Bridget," Whitney cheered.

In the back, Lacey shook her head. She'd heard this part of the tale re-told several times over the years and over wine at her house. Next to her, Ramsey shook her head differently than her friend as she couldn't fathom how a respected professional acted so sleazily in her younger years.

"Once the Sugarbees got involved by offering their own rewards, things escalated...quickly," Bridget continued.

"I'll bet," Whitney remarked sarcastically.

"Ohmigawd!" Lacey exclaimed suddenly. "Austin's mom was on the cheer squad."

"Well, yeah. And so were Beyza and Delilah's moms. Not to mention, Yumi's mom was a Sugarbee. And obviously Harley's too," Whitney listed.

"Rylee's mom was on the dance squad as well," Ramsey pointed out.

"Yes, Didi was in the thick of things. Still so strange how her daughter is the polar opposite," Bridget commented. "Didi wouldn't ever shut up, while I hear Rylee is super shy."

"Did Mrs. Rusk do any of those rewards?" Lacey questioned.

"Look, I'm not going to reveal any of my teammates' secrets, nor even those of the Sugarbees. People shouldn't have their past indiscretions haunt them for life," Bridget responded.

"Austin's mom was totally involved," Whitney stated toward Lacey.

"Now, I didn't say that," Bridget declared, sighing. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. But I got caught up in the cheerleading talk. It's a shame that Peyton never took to the lifestyle. "Miranda was about as straitlaced a girl as you could find. However, she also had a wild best friend who wanted her to loosen up. I'm sure a few people in this car know what that's like," the older woman directed toward the backseat.

Ramsey mumbled a few choice words under her breath while Lacey descended into her usual round of giggles. Whitney didn't appear offended by the comment at all. If anything, she seemed proud.

"And I bet your friends would say the same about you, huh?" the current cheer captain asked knowingly of the former squad leader.

"Maybe once upon a time."

"Wow, I can't believe that we've never heard about this. Even the carwash was passed down as an urban legend. But I never even had a whiff of this reward system," Whitney said, mulling over that fact. That such a scandalous system had been put in place and never exposed started to give her ideas. "You know, the basketball team has been iffy so far this year. Maybe they need a little extra motivation. What do you think, Lace?"

"You can not be serious?" Ramsey responded first.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Count me out of any plan. I have a boyfriend," Lacey reminded her BFF needlessly.

"And that's precisely why you won't do it," Bridget told Whitney.

"Why not? You girls managed to get away with it, and I'm far more sneaky than any of you."

"Oh, I wouldn't count on it, young lady," Bridget responded. "I doubt that you've done half of the things I've done."

"Wanna bet?"

"No, she doesn't want to bet!" Ramsey interrupted. "You will not even think about doing something so appalling, Whitney. I'll make sure of it. Now, can we talk about something else? This whole conversation is wrong."

"It's also off the record. So that means you can't threaten Whitney with a news article to stop her," Bridget warned the school reporter.

"You're a grownup, an adult, Dr. Tarver. You shouldn't put ideas into her head."

"Ramsey," Bridget drew out the name.

"Fine! I won't write anything." The strawberry blonde sat back against the seat, crossing her arms in anger.

"And you will not even consider repeating what we did," Bridget ordered, turning her attention back to Whitney.

"Why not?!" the teen whined.

"Because while you might never have heard of the reward system, that doesn't mean that rumors didn't fly back then. Girls on both squads who had boyfriends had to deal with the fallout. The same goes for a few guys on the team. I'm talking about people who didn't partake in the whole thing but whose lives were screwed up by it. Relationships ended due to suspicions and mistrust. How would Austin take any rumors about a similar thing?"

"Who cares? Lacey could use the freedom," Whitney dismissed, actually waving her hand.

"I care!" the petite redhead shrieked.

"I don't think Kaitlin needs any more relationship drama either," Ramsey remarked, studying her phone. She'd just finished reading a message from Daisy about a fight at Metropolis several nights ago.

"Yeah, our squad is pretty boring too. We got two virgins and Yumi on the senior portion of the squad. Plus, almost all the juniors suck," Whitney complained. "I blame Kelly for leaving me with this mess. She should've pushed for less boring sophomores last year."

"Not to mention that we'd totally lose to the Sugarbees. They're way wilder than us," Lacey stated, unknowingly causing Whitney to vow to show up the dance squad in some way.

"We're here!" Ramsey announced.

Finished in 1894, the Witzler Hotel represented itself as a herald of the future prosperity already arriving to Honey Hollow. Constructed by the finest craftsmen, no expense had been spared to deliver an opulent introduction to visitors. Locals took pride in its majestic glory. That feeling lasted almost seventy-five years until the forces that devastated many downtowns around the nation struck Honey Hollow.

Seeking to cut maintenance costs, renovations began to wall off the expert woodworking, beautiful murals, and cathedral ceilings. The foulest insult of this drive for efficiency came with the partitioning of the grand ballroom into several conference rooms and a small banquet hall. As a result, business suffered as the occupancy rate dwindled. The thirty-year decline led younger generations to view the hotel as a joke when management celebrated its centennial.

The Witzler's new reputation didn't sit well with a native of Blackbridge, who had returned to his grandfather's city. Seeking to rebuild Diamond Corp into the company it had once been, Dalton Pierce eyed the Witzler as his second rehabilitation project. Once he, along with the Diamond brothers, had wrestled control of the company from Hannibal Diamond, Dalton sought to restore Honey Hollow's now blemished gem. Finding an architectural partner in a recently graduated Ian Thirlby, the two men worked their magic. Those walls and ceilings added over the years were torn out, revealing the wonders underneath to the city and world once again. The long, painstaking restoration paid off handsomely as the Witzler Hotel resumed its role as the glorious introduction to Honey Hollow.

At eight stories, the Witzler was the tallest building in the city. While its restored grand ballroom became the in-demand spot for wedding receptions, the hotel didn't lack modern conveniences. The first floor also features a large indoor pool, several hot tubs, a sauna, and a fitness center. Business meetings shifted to conference rooms on the second floor. And for the grandest of all, the top floor had splendid views inside and out. The center of the top floor featured four Executive Suites along with three luxurious corner Penthouse Suites. The remaining corner consisted of an observation/party deck.

For the young blonde strutting in through the double-glass doors, the Witzler felt like a second or third home. Because of her family's close ties to the local Pierce family branch, Whitney had spent much of the last decade roaming the Witzler's wonderful halls and rooms. Familiar with every detail and staff member, the teenager worked the distance between the entrance and the front desk like a politician. Holiday greetings, along with hugs, slowed her group down. Employees lingered longer than usual in concern over her recent health scare.

"No, no, I'm fine. I swear, I'm fine, Radko," Whitney reassured one tearful concierge.

"It looks like Ms. Goose beat us here," Lacey noted, nodding over to the elevators. The platinum blonde either didn't see them or didn't care as she pushed her way past a person.

"Yes, yes, I did fall through the ice," she confirmed for one inquisitive maid. "Dr. Tarver's son rescued me."

Bridget shot Whitney an annoyed look as she now found herself the second center of attention. Hotel employees, now joined by several guests, showed their appreciation for Sean's actions by hugging his mother, shaking her hand profusely, and asking about the young hero's whereabouts.

"My mom is right behind us," Lacey announced after checking her newest message. "We should wait for them before...whatever."

The petite redhead surrendered to her co-BFF's will as Whitney marched over to the front desk. There, the star of the show received celebrity-style service. A stern-faced brunette in her forties saw her countenance soften as she raced over.

"Whit--Miss Diamond, what a pleasure!"

"Hey, Magda. I guess you heard about my adventure," Whitney greeted the hotel manager.

"We certainly have. The staff is going to be thrilled to see you."

"So I've noticed," Whitney replied, causing Magda to survey the lobby with a scowl. "Let them be, Mags. I'm sure Uncle Dalton would understand."

"Of course, Mr. Pierce would."

"Is he around?"

"No, but they're on their way. I believe his flight was delayed leaving because of the weather," Magda explained politely before reverting to a more professional tone. "Mr. Pierce stressed that no detail is too small for the event tonight."

"We in our same room?"

"Yes, of course, Miss Diamond."

"I don't know what I'd do without him," Whitney remarked.

"Geez, Bee, do you have to drive like a maniac?" Gabriela stood several feet behind the three teenage girls.

Turning away from where Whitney received confirmation that her hairstylist had arrived and set up, Bridget saw Gabby marching across the lobby with Rachel and JoJo in tow.

"I drove at a normal pace. You're the slowpoke."

"Slowpoke? More like you're a speed demon. I've never seen a crazier driver in my life, Rach," Gabby said, turning to her best friend for support.

"You know that's not true, Gabs. Bridget is the second-worst," Rachel stated.

"Who? Oh, right, Tinsley," Gabriela nodded as JoJo watched the teasing in fascination.

"Oh, right? I seem to remember people freaking out when you drove us down to Breakwater that one time," Bridget recalled.

"We were in a time crunch."

With Whitney finished, the older women moved to the front desk. The Tarvers ended up with two rooms on the 6th Floor, just down the hall from the one room for the Locketts. Rachel found a surprise: their 7th-floor suite had been upgraded to an Executive Suite on the top floor.

"Who'd you blow for that?" Gabby asked Rachel.

"It's who you know, and you know that Clive and Dalton go way back."

"I should've found rich girls for my best friends," Gabby complained.

"Sure, you could've if you and Sela didn't always end up in hair-pulling arguments," Bridget recalled, chuckling.

"You can stay with us, Ram," Lacey offered.

"No, she can stay with us. We have more room," Whitney pointed out.

"I can't. Sorry," Ramsey apologized, motioning with her phone. "My mom wants me to stay with her tonight, or I think she does."

"What? No! You gotta hang out with us," Lacey moaned, as did Whitney.

"I don't know what the big deal is because aren't you staying with Austin?"

"Rammy!" Lacey hissed as her friend gave away the plan.

"Oh, no. That's not happening," Rachel declared, shaking her head. "Are you trying to give your father a heart attack?"

Ignoring the mother and daughter's back-and-forth, Bridget turned her attention to her neighbor.

"Are your parents here yet? No? Well, how about you leave your bags in my room until they arrive."

"Forget that, JoJo," Gabby ordered, suddenly more interested in this conversation. "Put your bags in our room. Your mom and I need a quick talk."

"Okay," the shy brunette said, shoulders sagging.

"Now, don't be like that. It's not a bad conversation," Gabby reassured her son's latest lover.

"And don't forget that you owe me a talk, Jo," Whitney reminded. "I want to hear all about this porn dialogue of yours."

"Hello, anyone here?"

Whitney knew her question would likely be futile, but the echo around the Penthouse Suite still felt eerie. Having been inside plenty of times, the opulent suite didn't awe or excite the teen. No, that's what Lacey currently felt and expressed several doors down.

Instead, the Diamond heiress made her way to her regular bedroom. Once inside, she started to unzip a bag but stopped. The stunning view of Honey Hollow had drawn her attention.

It always looks so beautiful from up here. Although the view from the other end is even better. Uncle Dalton's suite and the deck show both Beekeepers Square AND the harbor.

Suddenly, feeling the loneliness of the empty suite creeping in, Whitney spun around on her heels. Leaving her bags still packed, she walked briskly toward the door, desperate not to be alone.

No way am I sleeping alone tonight. Friend or lover, it doesn't matter. I won't ring in the new year alone.